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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23247646">beautiful stranger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopelessrdj/pseuds/hopelessrdj'>hopelessrdj</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>they think my lover is strange [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Crushes, Fluff, M/M, Nothing more than fluff, pure fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:42:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,932</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23247646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopelessrdj/pseuds/hopelessrdj</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark used to think that love meant painful chase but he finds himself wondering what would happen if he tried to keep a certain stranger for longer than just one night</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carol Danvers/James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Christine Palmer/Pepper Potts, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>they think my lover is strange [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1679587</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>102</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>beautiful stranger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>everyone say thank you halsey for finally//beautiful stranger</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>You got hips like Jagger and two left feet</em>
  <em><br/>
And I wonder if you'd like to meet</em>
</p><p> </p><p>If you asked him Stephen wouldn’t really say they were friends. They were acquaintances obviously. It was inevitable with the amount of mutual friends they shared and they would recognize each other on the corridors at uni sometimes even managing a casual small talk here and there. They meet at every party from actual big ones to casual board games &amp; movies friends meeting. But they weren’t close.</p><p> </p><p>Today was one of those days when they all meet at the club, Christine threatening to drag his corpse if she had to along with her girlfriend’s stare that he swore could turn him to stone was enough of a reason for him to go. And as he was enjoying his stone cold bear by the bar he was looking at his friends in the varying stages of intoxication his eyes drew to that one short form in the middle of the dancefloor.</p><p> </p><p>He wouldn’t exactly say that Tony couldn’t dance. Yes he may have two left feet but he was so charismatic and energetic and had the general aura of fun around him that no one really cared to notice.</p><p>Stephen swore he could hear his laugh even from the other side of the room despite the loud music coming from everywhere</p><p> </p><p>It was obvious how magnetic the boy was, it’s like everyone on the dancefloor was edging closer to him with each second just craving for at least a tiny bit of his attention. And he would lie to himself is he said he didn’t, on multiple occasions, think he would love to be like this as well.</p><p> </p><p>But he’s comfortable by the bar and that won’t change any time soon he thinks as he orders another beer and looks around to find Christine happily dancing with Pepper, half finished drink I her hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey stranger, aren’t you getting too comfy?” he swore he didn’t flinch when he heard that voice</p><p> </p><p>“I wish I could get a dollar every time you use this nickname” he answers jokingly while not looking up</p><p> </p><p>“Next beer’s on me but I get to use the nickname again” he bargains while ordering a whiskey neat and taking a sit himself and before Stephen has a chance to answer he pays for both drinks.</p><p> </p><p>“got bored out there?” Stephen laughs while tilting his head towards the dance floor</p><p> </p><p>“Yes actually. Contrary to popular belief I like quiet bars and good company as much as crowds and dancing. If not more” he answers and takes the first sip, his whiskey the exact colour of his eyes. “But you on the other hand. Should consider dancing. One day I’ll make you.”</p><p> </p><p>Stephen doesn’t know if it’s a threat or a promise but when Tony smiles widely at him he finds himself wondering if they could be friends outside of their friend group. He wonders if he asked, would Tony like to meet him outside of all this? Or would it be awkward for just the two of them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Damn stranger. You think so much your head will explode one day. Do you ever have fun?” he obviously jokes and continues talking before he can even answer</p><p> </p><p>They sit there in the back of the bar discussing music, and science and their best friends’ relationships making bets on who’s gonna get married earlier Rhodey and Carol or Christine and Pepper. And he tries not to think about the fact that it’s been hours since Tony came to sit beside him and he’s never seen him spend so much time in one place before. And he would never admit he doesn’t want him to go because he didn’t have this much fun in months.</p><p> </p><p>From time to time Tony would crack a joke that he thinks is hilarious or go on a rant about something he’s exceptionally passionate about as if they were the best of friends and boundaries didn’t exist and he looks at him with those warm brown eyes and smiles even wider when he sees that he cares and listens to every single word he says. And with that newfound sense of familiarity comes another thing.</p><p> </p><p>Stephen can’t really place this feeling. Is it attraction? Curiosity? A healthy mix of both? He doesn’t really know. All he knows is: he’s never felt that way about anyone before.</p><p> </p><p>And before the night ends Tony gives him his number and asks to repeat this night again.</p><p> </p><p>And who is Stephen to say no to that?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Your voice is velvet through a telephone</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You can come to mine</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But both my roommates are home</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Think I know a bar</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Where they would leave us alone</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And I wonder if you’d take it slow?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Stephen Strange isn’t a coward, he’s everything but actually. He’s witty, and charming and eloquent and even though he doesn’t like to admit it quite full of himself. He’s always been a confident man which is why it bothers him that suddenly messaging Tony Stark seems like a really problematic task.</p><p> </p><p>It’s been two days since they’ve last seen each other. He originally planned to message him the next morning. He even opened the app and started typing but somehow he just wouldn’t hit send. At first the message didn’t sound right. Then it crossed his mind that Tony’s probably hungover and he wouldn’t like to wake him up. Then he thought he’s probably spending time with Rhodey and why would he disturb them right? And somehow it turned into hours. And hours turned into days. And the longer it took for him to message the more awkward it has become.</p><p> </p><p>He was rewriting the text for what felt like 10<sup>th</sup> time when he decided it wasn’t going to work and clicked the phone button instead. He wasn’t really sure what he’s hoping for. Him picking up? Him deciding it was a mistake and ignoring his phone call? One thing he knew is: he wasn’t ready for his raspy voice picking up after the first signal</p><p> </p><p>“Took you long enough, stranger. Thought you lost my number” Stephen could clearly hear the ac/dc music playing in the background</p><p> </p><p>“I gave your drunken ass time to recover after the Friday night” he said, his sass more prominent when they haven’t seen each other face to face</p><p> </p><p>“I need you to know I was perfectly fine Sunday morning thank you very much” fake offence clear in his voice</p><p> </p><p>“Bet Rhodes wouldn’t agree. Maybe I should ask?” the sharp inhale of air was heard from the other side of the line</p><p> </p><p>“You wouldn’t dare”</p><p> </p><p>“ Try me” he said but tony’s answer didn’t fully register for him. It’s not that Stephen stopped listening to him, obviously he didn’t. It’s just that now, while lying on his bed with his eyes closed, listening to Tony rambling on the other side he could really focus on his voice. And it’s the first time he noticed how deep and velvet it is and how perfect it would sound while whispering sweet nothings into his ear.</p><p> </p><p>“You there? Or did you get bored of me already”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh, sorry, I spaced out what did you say?”</p><p> </p><p>“Damn Strange, I could have dirty talked to you right now and you wouldn’t even notice thought you cared more about me I’m offended” He said jokingly but Stephen wished he didn’t, this one comment putting way too many images in his head “Anyway I said that if you wanted to meet you could always come here but Rhodey and Peps are home so if it bothers you…”</p><p> </p><p>“You know what. I know a cool quiet bar that you might like, what would you say to that?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s a date Stranger, I’ll pick you up in half an hour, you better clean up nicely” without allowing him a chance to answer Tony hang up leaving Stephen alone with his extremely confusing thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>For a while he was really considering dressing up but he knew Tony better than this. It’s not like the boy didn’t act the exact same way towards every single one of his friends leaving Rhodey or Pepper frustrated and having to explain to others that they in fact weren’t cheating on their significant others with Tony.</p><p> </p><p>It took him exactly 32 minutes to get to his apartment and knock on Stephen’s door. He counted to 10 in order not to seem too eager before he opened and was met with a wonderful sight of Tony in his iconic leather jacket and perfectly styled hair smirking at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Damn, looking good Strange”</p><p> </p><p>“Wish I could say the same about you”</p><p> </p><p>“You sure know how to sweet talk people, what a charmer” He joked while Stephen was closing the door behind him</p><p> </p><p>The walk couldn’t take them more than 15 minutes and if it did neither of the boys noticed it, the conversation between them light and easy, flowing as if they’ve known each other for years. When they entered the place only 3 or 4 other people sat by their respective tables, rock music playing from the speakers placed at the very end of the bar</p><p> </p><p>“They have a patio as well, it’s more quiet in there” Stephen said but went to the bar first to order something for them while Tony choose a place for them to sit. When he came back, two beers in hands he found the boy sprawled on one of the leather couches standing outside which didn’t allow much space in between them.</p><p> </p><p>And for each passing minute of the conversation, and each empty bottle of beer appearing on their table there was one inch less of space between them. Stephen was actively looking for any awkwardness, any hesitation or irritation from Tony’s side but despite all his attempts he found none.</p><p> </p><p>He seemed to be genuinely enjoying his company, even allowing himself some sense of familiarity, a touch on the arm when he would tell a joke or hand lingering on his knee when they got particularly close to hear each other better over the sound of music getting louder.</p><p> </p><p>And with each passing hour Stephen found himself looking at Tony’s lips more often than not and hoping that the boy didn’t notice. And he wished he could stop thinking about Tony’s comment from the phone call because now he was starting to wonder how those lips would feel on his.</p><p> </p><p>Knowing that Tony was in fact interested in more than one gender didn’t make it any easier for him either, he’s seen him aggressively make out with a few men during multiple parties and he wondered if there was the slightest chance he’d be interested in him.</p><p> </p><p>But Tony didn’t have the best relationship record. Ever since him and Pepper broke up he often disappeared from the party with one person or the other and never appeared with the same person again. And it left Stephen wondering, if he ever decided to make a move, was there a chance for Tony to take it slow and actually try a relationship with him?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I grab your hand and then we run to the car</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Singing in the street and playing air guitar</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Stuck between my teeth just like a candy bar</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And I wonder if it goes too far</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The bar was closing at 2 in the morning. Stephen was obviously aware of this fact but he wasn’t expecting them to stay this long so when the bartender kindly asked them to leave they were both equally surprised.</p><p> </p><p>But obviously they left and the fresh summer night air sobered them up a little bit making either of them silent for a while.</p><p> </p><p>“So I guess it’s time to say goodnight?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, we could always go to my car…” Stephen gave him a look at that and Tony seemed to take full offence at it “I’m not saying we should drive somewhere. Just maybe sit there for a while more? We could always go to my place but I don’t want to wake Peps up”</p><p> </p><p>He said and Stephen felt brave for a second, grabbing Tony’s hand and guiding him to the nearest store so they could get some more beer for the occasion. The lady by the counter looked at them suspiciously but then smiled at the look of their joined hands which made Stephen want to suddenly take it away. He didn’t.</p><p> </p><p>It was a quarter past two and they were walking down the street to Tony’s car when he suddenly started humming and then full blown singing, while clearly laughing at Stephen’s confusion.</p><p> </p><p>“I love this song” he said and only then the boy noticed the song coming from the block nearby, that was previously just a white noise to him, his full attention on the engineer who was currently pretending to play air guitar while shaking from side to side.</p><p> </p><p>The sight of it made Stephen laugh and raised his spirit and before he knew he joined the awkward singing as well. When they got to the car Tony opened the door and almost threw the beer at the drivers sit before turning to Stephen</p><p> </p><p>“Okay dance with me. You have to” he said and choose a song on his car radio, the exact same one he was dancing to in the club on Friday</p><p> </p><p>“What here?” Stephen asked leaning on the car roof on the other side</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. Here. Why not?” The fact that Tony didn’t find dancing in the middle of a parking lot weird made him chuckle.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re not there yet Stark” he said and before the boy could answer Stephen sat down on the passenger sit and closed the door</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, rude. I don’t deserve to be treated like this” Tony said while handing him one of the beers and sitting down on the driver’s seat.</p><p> </p><p>The silence that fell between them was a comfortable one, with the music filling in the car and the night still being young. Stephen looked at the boy beside him, mouthing the lyrics of his favourite song with his eyes shut close and he thought he’s never seen a sight more beautiful than this.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh, we're dancing in my living room</em>
  <em><br/>
And up come my fists<br/>
And I say, "I'm only playing"<br/>
But the truth is this<br/>
I've never seen a mouth<br/>
That I would kill to kiss<br/>
And I'm terrified, but I can’t resist</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Six weeks. That’s how much time Tony needed to fall completely in love with Stephen Vincent Strange and he never expected it to happen. Definitely not like this.</p><p> </p><p>He should have known that was a lost fight that night when they sat in his car and everything he could think of was how easy it would be to just lean in and kiss him then and there. But it was different now.</p><p> </p><p>Tony’s been attracted to Stephen since the day they first met there was no hiding that fact. He was exactly the type he liked, tall, sassy, with high cheek bones and piercing blue eyes. He could have easily acted upon it before.</p><p> </p><p>But he never did. Because he didn’t know if Stephen swings that way, in fact he still isn’t 100% sure. But now another problem entered the picture and Tony couldn’t pretend it didn’t exist anymore.</p><p> </p><p>What used to be a physical attraction turned into something much more and now even if he managed to get Stephen to bed he could no longer treat him as a one night stand. The option simply wasn’t there anymore.</p><p> </p><p>Tony groaned over his evening coffee when the realisation hit him like a truck and for the first time in forever he didn’t know what to do.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, stop it. You’re making me worried” He heard Pepper saying from behind him as she looked at him with her “what did you do” look. And for a second he considered looking for an excuse but he knew it would never work. So instead he turned around to fully face her and said</p><p> </p><p>“I think I’m in love with Stephen” for a second he saw her collected demeanour slip</p><p> </p><p>“Stephen? Strange?” she asked</p><p> </p><p>“Do we know more Stephens?” he asked and threw his hands in the air</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, calm down. Where’s the problem here?” He looked at her as if she grew a second head</p><p> </p><p>“Where’s the problem? Pepper, I don’t even know if he’s gay”</p><p> </p><p>“I could always ask Christine you know” She said as if it was the most obvious thing to do</p><p> </p><p>He was about to answer her when the screen of his phone light up showing a message from “Stranger Danger” he immediately took it to answer but glanced at Pepper before leaving the room</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you dare talking to your girlfriend about it” he said and left already typing away</p><p> </p><p>It was Friday also known as their “bar day” It was a tradition they came up with on that night in the car. They decided that each week they’d go out and go to the bar they’ve never been before until there’s no more bars in their neighbourhood that they could check.</p><p> </p><p>They had more than an hour before they were planning to meet but Tony was already getting nervous. It wasn’t exactly an unpleasant feeling per se. But it wasn’t a common one. The last time he was nervous while going out with someone was back in high school when he was dating Pepper.</p><p> </p><p>But today was a special day. Or so he told himself. Cause today Rhodey was at Carol’s and Pepper was staying with Christine. So if he wanted to make a move on Stephen (and give some privacy to Chris and Peps since the med students shared the apartment) he should do it today. But somehow he didn’t know how.</p><p> </p><p>Which lead to him being more quiet than usual and Stephen clearly picked up on it.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay?” he asked him somewhere in between their second and third beer “You think so much your head will explode” he added and Tony was immediately taken back to that first night at the bar when he was the one who said those words to Stephen</p><p> </p><p>“Oh? You’re worried about me stranger?” he asked finishing his beer in one swift movement “ I was just thinking. My place is empty today so what if we ditched this bar and it’s cheap beer and went back to mine. I have the best whiskey you’ll ever taste”</p><p> </p><p>“Why are we still here then” he says and finishes his beer as well before standing up.</p><p> </p><p>They walk to his apartment. And Tony fumbles for a key for a while and Stephen chuckles behind his back</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe you’ve had enough drinks for today, Stark” he says and helps him out, his touch electric on Tony’s skin.</p><p> </p><p>He goes straight to the living room while Stephen takes off his jacket and immediately pours them some drinks. For a moment he thinks he probably shouldn’t do that. Because if anything happened tonight he wants to be relatively sober and remember it all perfectly</p><p> </p><p>But the need for this liquid courage wins as he takes the first sip. He sits down on the couch and puts the music on shuffle and Stephen joins him immediately and they fall into an easy conversation the exact same way they’ve been doing for weeks. And Tony both loves and hates how right it feels.</p><p> </p><p>And he knows he’s more than tipsy at this point and maybe that’s what makes him stand up the second he hears his favourite song.</p><p> </p><p>“Come on, Stranger” he says and grabs Stephen’s hand.</p><p> </p><p>The boy groans but stands up anyway and when Tony tugs him closer he makes a surprised noise but doesn’t pull away. He’s not one to waste an occasion so he leads him to dance, right there in the middle of his living room. And it’s awkward and neither of them can really dance, but it’s theirs and for Tony it’s perfect the way it is.</p><p> </p><p>And when the song changes into something slower he makes sure to still keep Stephen close</p><p> </p><p>“I told you you will dance with me one day” he says and it’s obvious how proud he is of this accomplishment and how much he enjoys  the slight blush on those sharp cheekbones and he thinks for the first time in a while how would it be if he kept someone for longer than a night</p><p> </p><p>Stephen looks at Tony’s lips and his arms are around his neck and he runs his long fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and he swears he’d kill to kiss those lips</p><p><br/>
<em>Here you are in my arms and I know<br/>
That beautiful strangers<br/>
Only come along to do me wrong </em>
</p><p>
  <em>and I hope</em>
  <em>, Beautiful stranger</em>
</p><p> </p><p>And they both make the same scenarios in their heads as they sway to the music in the middle of Tony’s apartment both so sure of their own feelings yet oblivious to the pure adoration of the other.</p><p> </p><p>If you asked them about it neither would tell you who started the kiss. Maybe they didn’t really know it either. But what they knew is that it’s sweet and tender and filled with more emotion than any of them expected.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>And I wonder if it goes too far to say</em>
  <em><br/>
I've never recognized a purer face<br/>
You stopped me in my tracks<br/>
And put me right in my place<br/>
Used to think that loving<br/>
Meant a painful chase<br/>
But you're right here now<br/>
And I think you'll stay</em>
</p><p> </p><p>They stop just for a minute to take a breath and Tony’s hands are on Stephen’s cheeks and he think he’s never seen someone with a face so angelic and pure and for a moment he wonders if it’s real. If maybe he should take advantage of this moment because it’s just a dream and if the thinks about it for too long it will slip past his fingers.</p><p> </p><p>And Stephen looks back at his lips again and before they know it they’re kissing and there are hands roaming all over their bodies and Tony think’s that maybe, just maybe it’s not what he thinks it is.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe Stephen just wants to give it a try. Maybe it’s all out of curiosity. Tony knows the boy had his fair share of one night stands and maybe that’s just the moment when they add each other’s names to the long list of strangers they’ll never see again.</p><p> </p><p>So he takes Stephen’s shirt off and guides him towards the bedroom because he thinks that’s what he wants, because that’s what everyone always wants from Tony. So why would this be any different?</p><p> </p><p>But those long fingers wrap around his wrists and bring them up to Stephen’s face and those red swollen lips kiss the palms of his hands and he stop him right there and Tony doesn’t really know how to act.</p><p> </p><p>“I hope it’s okay” he says while his piercing blue eyes keep the engineer right in his spot “but I don’t want tonight to end like this”</p><p> </p><p>They end up in the bedroom anyway, but not like he thought they would. They’re there on his bed, wrapped in each other’s arms. Tony’s head on Stephen’s chest and when he looks up he sees the pure adoration and hope on his face.</p><p> </p><p>He wonders if that’s what being in love feels like.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I think it’s finally, finally, finally safe</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For me to fall</em>
</p>
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